Yeti SB95 Review

With the SB95, Yeti takes their Switch suspension technology from the popular 26"-wheeled SB66 platform to the world of big-wheelers. The 5'' travel aluminum 29er has been pegged as one of those ever elusive 'do it all' trail bikes that can be ridden as an all-day sort of rig, or fitted with a chain guide and longer stroke fork to appease a rider who might want to take his 29er to new heights. Our test bike is assembled with Yeti's 'Pro' build kit that, while leaving nearly no place left to upgrade (save for a dropper post ), makes for an undeniably pricey MSRP of $6,500 USD. While that is admittedly more than most of us will spend on our next bike, Yeti does offer three other packages, the most wallet-conscious being their 'Enduro Rock' build that allows riders to throw a leg over their own SB95 for $3,500 USD.

The SB95's aluminum frame is a departure from Yeti's previous mid-travel offerings in that it features relatively slack geometry and low-slung

suspension elements, and while we've always been a fan of Yeti's similar travel 575 and ASR 5 platforms, the SB66 and SB95 look to offer a personality that will better suit an aggressive approach to trail riding. To that end, the SB95 features a drastically sloping top tube, as well as a reasonably short seat tower for plenty of crotch and knee clearance for when you need to hang it out there. A compulsory tapered head tube meets up with a hydroformed top and down tube, creating a massive amount of surface area to weld together - the front of the SB95 looks ready for anything. Cable routing isn't as graceful as we've seen on some other bikes, but with three cable attachment points on the underside of the down tube, Yeti does make a concession for a dropper post.

Convertible dropouts (left ) allow SB95 owners to go with either standard 135mm QR or 12 x 142mm rear wheels. The black ring just inboard of the drive side BB cup (right ) can be replaced with either an ISCG-03 or -05 adapter plate to allow for easy chain guide fitting.

The eccentric Switch suspension design makes for a compact layout that sits low on the bike, but it also means that the sole water bottle location is found on the underside of the down tube in a less than ideal location for anyone who likes to head out without a pack on their back every now and then. All told, the frames come in at a claimed weight of 7.5lb, not a lightweight by 5'' travel trail bike standards but it does have an aura of sturdiness to it that many others lack.

Appearances can be deceiving. The clean lines of the SB95 do well to disguise the bike's eccentric Switch unit and rocker link.

Switch Technology Explained

Just as found on the 26''-wheeled SB66 and SB66 Carbon, the SB95 uses Yeti's 'Switch' suspension design. While it may appear to be a simple single pivot system from a distance, the main swingarm pivot is actually mounted on an eccentric (the anodized blue unit in the photo at right ) that transitions from rotating counter-clockwise at the beginning of the bike's travel to clockwise as it gets deeper into the shock stroke, hence the Switch moniker. The eccentric unit unquestionably adds both weight and complication compared to a simpler single pivot design, which is one of the reasons why the SB95 frame weighs in a relatively portly 7.5lb (claimed ), so we're guessing that Yeti is very confident in the benefits of the layout.

Trail bikes like the SB95 are held to high standards: not only must they pedal well for long days in the saddle, many riders also expect them to descend like much longer travel machines. In order to address the pedalling part of the equation, the SB95's eccentric rotates counter-clockwise in the early stages of the bike's travel, which, because the swingarm pivot is mounted off-center on the eccentric, effectively lengthens the chain stays. This lengthening, combined with the slightly rearward axle path, creates chain tension that is said to provide a firming effect on the suspension. Deeper into the travel, the eccentric switches direction and starts to rotate clockwise. This largely uncouples chain forces from the suspension, allowing the rear end to work at its best when pushed hard. While all of that may sound complicated, the same basic principles are employed in other designs on the market, although usually by the way of multiple links - the eccentric unit of the Switch design is in effect just that, a type of link. Yeti's Switch design is a rather cunning way to go about it, though.

The Switch layout may sound involved, but it is relatively simple in practice and laid out in a sturdy-looking way. The aluminum eccentric itself is sealed against the elements, and sits within a single forged frame member that is also home to the bottom bracket shell and rocker link mounting point. The main swingarm pivot rotates on sealed cartridge bearings that are pressed into the eccentric unit, and large diameter aluminum pivot axles tie everything together. The shock itself is not attached to the swingarm but rather driven by a rocker link that allows Yeti to tune the leverage ratio through the bike's travel. Both the eccentric unit and the rocker link are nearly completely hidden from view when facing the drive-side of the bike, giving the SB95 a very clean appearance.

Our medium SB95 came equipped with a very nice Thomson stem that, at 90mm, is likely going to be spot-on for many riders. We were looking for a little more of a rearward position on the bike for when things got rowdy, so we swapped it out for a 60mm unit that did just that. The cockpit feel went from having the air of an all-around disposition to making us feel like we were in the driver's seat of the party bus. As if we didn't feel guilty enough about removing one of Thomson's smartly constructed components, we also swapped the Thomson Elite post out for a RockShox Reverb dropper - a near essential item for our Sedona, Arizona, testing grounds. The black bike felt totally trail-worthy with the saddle up, ready for a long or technical climb to access the fruits of our labour, but dropping the seat transformed the SB95 to a bike that we knew we'd feel comfortable on from the get-go.

While the Yeti may feel a touch active on featureless, smoother climbs, it claws its way up steep and technical pitches with a surprising amount of enthusiasm.

ClimbingThe SB95 would be our on-trail introduction to Yeti's Switch suspension layout, so we weren't sure what to expect when heading out from the trailhead, and were surprised at just how much the rear end cycled under load. Calm and seated pedalling resulted in the rear suspension matching the rhythm when the FOX shock was set to full-open, and we found ourselves flicking the CTD lever to the firmer 'Trail' or 'Climb' settings for any extended smooth sections in order to add some sportiness to the bike. This made a demonstrable difference in the SB95's climbing performance, and our outlook on long, grinding climbs went from dread to acceptance. Clearly, all credit here goes out to FOX's compression-adjustable Float CTD shock, but there is much more to explaining a bike's climbing mannerisms than how it covers ground on a smooth access road climb.

While we admit that we were surprised at how active the bike's Switch suspension was in an pedalling situation, we have to concede that the bike motored up tricky sections like a treed raccoon. Staying seated and powering up loose pitches allowed the relatively short chain stays to keep weight over the rear wheel, with the result being immense amounts of traction. We repeatedly and easily cleaned loose pitches that stymied other bikes, and the 68.5° head angle worked well despite our concerns that it would make for a too-relaxed front end for the tricky Sedona singletrack. Front-end lift was non-existent, even with the shorter 60mm stem fitted, although we'd anticipate this to deteriorate if one was to spec the bike with a 140mm travel fork (effectively slackening the bike by a degree and changing the weight bias ) instead of the stock 120mm FOX unit - we don't feel that a longer stroke fork would add to the SB95's abilities on the downs, so why sacrifice on the ups? Those who prefer to sit and spin up climbs may prefer a slightly steeper seat angle than the 72° figure Yeti has gone with, something that we would like to see after spending time on bikes with a more upright seat to crank relation than would seem obvious at first.

As it sits, the SB95 is one hell of a technical climber. Good enough, in fact, that we'd happily look past us needing to reach for the shock's CTD lever to eke out more perceived efficiency from the bike's Switch suspension. So, maybe not the best choice for crushing those gravel road Strava climbs, but the SB95 is great when it really counts. Mountain biking, that is.

A confident handling machine in all situations, the SB95 was a gas to let loose in the rough.

HandlingThe SB95 may be a 29er but it has the soul of a frisky 26''-wheeled bike. The black Yeti is full of life, and while it's content to plod along at whatever pace you put out, it really shines when you crack the throttle open and think outside of the box. It does exactly what you ask of it without an excessive amount of body English, a trait that is not all that common among big-wheelers, but one that we wish every bike possessed. The front end comes up easily enough that manuals were simply a matter of just thinking about doing one and it happening, resulting in some great fun on the trail. Corners were dealt with in an easygoing manner as well, with an intuitive feel that had us feeling at home from the first thirty feet of singletrack on the Yeti. The bike's relatively short rear end and sensible head angle made short work of corners that had longer bikes pausing for that split second in order to re-align themselves before getting on the gas, but fast sweepers still felt stable enough to not have us second guessing our chosen line.

All too often a bike manages to be able to excel at two, or maybe three traits, only to fall short in other areas. It's a funny thing when a bike's elements come together to form a package that works well in just about any scenario that you can come upon, and it is something that doesn't happen on a regular basis. The SB95 is one of those rare beasts that does just that.

SuspensionGiven the active rear end, we were anticipating a ground-hugging ride (as much as a 5'' travel 29er could be considered ''ground-hugging'' anyways ) from the SB95 but that wasn't the case. There is a balance between the FOX Float shock and Yeti's Switch suspension that adds up to a bike that, without trying to sound too enamored, simply does exactly what you want it to do. Toothy straightaways that had the bike's single-ply Maxxis tires cringing over what was to come were dealt with in an incredibly smooth way. So much so, in fact, that it reminded us of some 6'' travel 26''-wheeled bikes that we've had the chance to point down a hill. This wasn't always the case given that no matter how good the bike performed, it still has 5'' of travel, 29'' wheels, and a 2.2'' wide rear tire, but what Yeti has been able to do with those ingredients is massively impressive.

The 'pop' that all good trail bikes have is also there, allowing us to get the Yeti airborne anytime that turned out to be the faster or safer approach to the ground under us. So, we have a bike that is active enough to have us reaching for the shock's CTD lever to firm it up for long climbs, effective enough to ride like a longer-travel rig when it gets rough but, in a very contrasting way, also provides enough of a 'platform' to push against when preloading the bike for a jump or to easily hop over a rock outcropping. Talk about multi-dimensional.

While we've aired our concerns over the lack of low-speed compression damping inherent in FOX's CTD-equipped forks, the extended trail-time that we've now spent on them has allowed us to come to a quick setup that gets the most from the design. Depending on the terrain and rider, adding at least 10 to 15psi over FOX's recommended pressure settings for the SB95's 34 fork, along with rotating the CTD Trail Adjust dial to the firmer middle selection, allows an aggressive rider to use both the 'Descend' and 'Trail' settings of the fork. With that done, the 120mm travel 34 makes a lot of sense for SB95 despite it sporting slightly more travel out back. We can see many prospective SB95 owners jumping up to a 140mm travel fork in order to slacken the bike out by a degree and add some capability, but we never felt under-gunned with the 120mm slider and the bike handled like it was an extension of our hands and feet.

Trails need not be rough to have fun on the 29''-wheeled SB95, as the bike was happy to motor along smooth singletrack as it was to plow through nasty bits.

Proper setup is key to getting the most from FOX's CTD suspension.

Other Ride Notes• The bike's Thomson Elite seatpost is one of those proven components that you move from bike to bike as your stable changes. But, as nice as it is, it isn't a dropper post. When one spends $6,500 on an off the shelf super-bike, there should really be no need to spend another $300+ in order to unlock all of the bike's potential. Yeti, the SB95 should come with a dropper post as stock equipment.

• While the lack of a dropper post left us shaking our heads, no expense was spared on the rest of the build, with XTR all around. The XTR Trail brakes in particular are, as we've already mentioned in the past, absolutely stunning. Power for days and a great feel at the lever. Why isn't that do-nothing bite point adjustment screw sorted out, though?

• The XTR shifting was spot on, only requiring the slightest adjustment as the housing settled in. The clutch-equipped rear derailleur nearly eliminated chain slap noise, and we also never suffered a dropped chain thanks to the extra tension.

• We knocked the rear wheel out of true badly after only one day aboard the bike. To be fair, we were pushing the bike quite hard on Sedona's rocky terrain, but we were still surprised at how bad the wobble was. We reigned it in a bit with a spoke wrench, but the DT Swiss XR400 rim is never to be straight again.

Pinkbike's take:

Labeling the SB95 as a 29er trail bike doesn't really paint a clear picture of just what the black Yeti is capable of - it doesn't ride like a 29er, and it certainly feels a touch more capable than your average trail bike - yet that is exactly what it is. We could harp on about negligible details like the lack of a dropper post as stock equipment, or the sole bottle cage location in the pain in the ass location under the down tube, but when it comes down to how the bike rides, it might just be one of the best mid-travel designs that we've ridden. How many of us are going to spend $6,500 USD on our next bike? Probably not a lot, which is why the $3,500 'Enduro Rock' version may be just the ticket. The less expensive build hangs off of the very same frame, giving riders the chance to get aboard this great performing platform for a more acceptable price.- Mike Levy

"The front end comes up easily enough that manuals were simply a matter of just thinking about doing one and it happening..."I've been doing it all wrong this whole time! I usually try and use my meat sticks not my grey matter. D'oh!

@Twebeast I have this bike right now, test riding it for a local shop, and as someone who rides a Nomad with CCDB Air, this thing is every bit as capable on the descents. I find myself more confident and tkaing riskier lines knowing this bike will handle it. These 130+mm 29ers are a legitimate replacement for 26 inch 160 bikes. Just build it up as an AM bike and it will handle anything you can throw at it.

sorry grandpa's .. but the 20" trials bikes are double disc for over a year now.. and i have been riding 26"with disc fine for years now.. magura's are fine as i said.. IF YOU ARE WILLING TO GRIND YOUR RIM... and enjoy the squeeking noise all the time..

I've tried a few 29ers but none have felt or have been (strava) any faster up hills for me and they have all felt very limiting on fast technical singletrack, no amount of frame/suspension trickery can hide the inertia of the wheels they just want to go straight.

@davehayz93 - There is no answer to that one. If I could magically have whatever bike I wanted for every ride that I do I suspect that there would be more 29ers than 26ers, but that would change depending on where I was.

I own a sb95 and people may need a week to get used to a 29er. That's not a bad thing.. Imagine a guy from the 90s and 71 degree head angles getting used to our current 67ish head angles. It's no doubt better, but will be something to get used to at first.

I rode my friend's sb66(6") vs my sb95 at Stevens Pass's black diamond line all day(NW Cup uses this as their Pro/CAT1 line). I TOTALLY preferred my sb95 on the rocky, technical descents just because it held its speed and was faster.

One issue: I'm curious how effective the Switch technology actually is. On the SB-66, the eccentric pivot CLEARLY rotates BOTH directions when compressing. That means it changes direction 4 times in 1 complete cycle. However, on my sb95, I noticed that the eccentric pivot BARELY rotates! It really pivots a matter of single degrees, and I did not see a direction change! It seems to act mostly like a single pivot.

I found that the shock bottomed out too easily, even if I added more air, so I had to make the spring curve more progressive by putting in the Fox air volume spacer. After that, it was perfect. Overall, I thought that this was a good aggressive trail 29er with good geometry. It kept up with everything that my Nomad was doing, but was faster(although, less cushy). The SB-95 stands out among other longer travel 29ers(covert, stumpjumper, Tracer29, W.F.O., Trance X 29, etc) in that it has a 67.5ish HA and shorter chainstays(17.5 vs 17.75 or whatever).

Mike: How does this compare to that 2013 Stumpjumper Evo 29 that you guys rode in Bend? Climbing efficiency vs DH ability?

I completely agree with this ...yes it is possible...I have been riding 26ers all my life until recently. I bought an intense hard eddiemedium and was blown away by how well it steered and kept momentum and inspired confidence to ride the same trails as my 26 ibis mojo hd..the sc tallboy c that i have now handles like a 26er in about 80% of the riding situations here...and climbs and bombs like a 29er...

I am sure this bike can do the same if the wheelbase is on par with those two i mentioned above. i recommend some of us on this thead give 29ers a try if you have not so...I am sure this yeti rides nicely...i just prefer carbon and either short travel or dwlink driven travel..never tried this switch yeti linkage just the old 2008 yeti 575

Good things! - Its a Yeti and yeah its a Yeti, its like owning a fighter jet! so cool!!

Bad things - I find the cable routing troubling? I can already see cable rub on the 4th picture down, also im not a huge fan of running them under the BB - this is another huge rubbing problem! I see it on guys Glorys and Pitchs all the time!

ive always said that if my truck gets a little banged up and scratched up then that's alright because its a truck and its meant to be used and when things get used they get worn... same goes for my bikes there meant to be used and when they get used they get worn.... i guess im just not a little prissy bitch when it comes to cable rub

There might have been better ways to route them cables? I don't know I don't make bikes, but all I know when it comes to re-selling the bike you have a better chance of selling it for a little more cash?

I found this article helpful and well written. Usually, not a fan of levy's take on bikes since he praised the hell out of his trek remedy, which I think is only an Ok bike but I demoed this bike and liked it, I agree with him on most points.. Definetely agree with that it does not feel like a 29er's cockpit, in a good way. Cable rub must be an issue with this bike. If I were to buy one, I'd wait for the sb95c

I'd like to see a follow up with the bike being exposed to our sloppy BC conditions this winter.
On my old SB66, that Switch area got so packed up with grit that it wore the paint right to the aluminum and took the nice teal anodizing off of the switch link. The Switch bearings would only last 2-3 months and are quite expensive to replace.

I rode one of these last summer during the annual Yeti Tribe Gathering. I thought the bike was going to be big, heavy and awkward coming from an ASR5c, but I was surprised it did not! Didn't even feel like a 29er. When we weighed it, it came in around 31 lbs. I didn't care for the Maxxis Ardent tires as the rear slipped quite a bit and the front really didn't feel that stable, but after a 7 mile climb and 16 mile decent down the front side of Vail Mountain, I was getting pretty picky! Great review and spot on in my opinion.

I demo'ed one of these this summer here in Colorado at Apex. I rode that and a Tallboy LTC and came away more impress with the Yeti. The Santa Cruz was a good three-four pounds lighter than the Yeti, but the Yeti felt just as light going uphill and bombing down it felt more solid. But the LTC look like it had a few good rides though and could of use some new bushing in the shock and some bearings in the suspension. I owned a few 29ers (Giant Anthem/Niner RIP 9) and never liked them all that much. But if I may buy a second had one if the price is right.

not trashing on the design at all, I dig it, I just don't really see the difference between that and a DW link. Its still a solid rear triangle located by two short links (can look at an eccentric as a link thats the distance between the centers) and a shock driven by the upper link. All they did was make it more sturdy and heavier. Once again, not a bad thing, just not really a break through in my mind. I'd imagine it would ride like a dw link bike, which is a good thing.

Definitely a "yeti sur-charge" on the machine ... but I don't think it's off the rails considering the competition ... I got my SB in June with the XT "Race" kit for MSRP 4500. For a full-XT setup on a 2K(+) frameset with fox+fox I think it's expensive, but "in the lane".

I've converted it from 3x to 2x (24x36 with SRAM X0 front D), added a dropper (Blacklite), 180 rotor on the back, and replace the rims with Stan's Flow.

re:cable routing

1. I had rub under the BB, which I addressed by immobilizing the housing at the bottom stop - it was rubbing because the housing would slide up towards the cockpit but not be able to keep up with deep suspension compression. There was plenty of housing to be had. There is no way for an alternative run for the front-d though, unless you figure out some cock-eyed way of using a top-pull deraulleur and running the housing along the top tube.

2. I had rub from the rear brake hose where it goes between the vertical spar of the rear triangle and the Switch, on the Switch. I zip-tied it to the spar. Would have been nice to have a hose guide "hard point" there to prevent the rub. Shoot, glueing something inside the spar to zip-tie to would be more clean, maybe I'll try that during my Winter Rebuild phase.

I've had the bike for about 1400 trail miles, and on everything from 40 mile XC/AM days in the hills and rocks of central PA, to smooth-buff trail days, and one bike park day, and it's been great in all cases. If I was to hit bike parks with it regularly I think I may want something "more" than the RP23 on the back, and a different wheelset overbuilt for the duty, but that's about it.

One point that I forgot to mention is that Yeti says the SB95 is only compatible with air shocks. I liked the little Float out back but I wonder what would happen if this thing was fitted with a DBair...

It totally rocks. Just picked up a NOS 12 SB95 and swapped all my XX1 goodies, code brakes, Lev, and a few other bits from my Enduro Expert Evo onto the Yeti, and replaced the RP23 (MY '13) with a DBair. Smooth pedaling with good efficiency, negligible bob, smooth all over in the travel and when it bottoms (RARE), you don't even notice it.

looks like it would rock the dh course! those 29in wheels would make it roll anything!, ive always thought about that, puttin different bike parts on a bike to make it ride smooth as butter, 29 in wheels with 4.0 tires, with full suspension, coil and dual crown..could you amagine?

I rode my SB66 at 80% max and then two days later I rode the same trails on a 29er with similar if not the same effort. I shaved 10-20 percent of time off of every climb and took poor lines the entire time just to see what the big wheels could do. The traction was down right STUPID. I had a hard time descending with it but the particular bike setup had a lot to do with that. My next trail bike will have wheels larger than 26".

Anyone else think 7.5 lbs for a 5" frame is more than a bit portly, especially considering the carbon v10 is only 7.9lbs with a great hulking coil shock an 10" of travel.Don't get my wrong I love the design, gorgeous bike an I'm sure it rides nice (although personally I'm not convinced by 29" bikes yet) but they could of made it lighter especially as these kind of bikes benefit no end from wieght loss, having said that I'm sure a carbon version would cut it down alot, but then do I really want see the price of that??

Every 5-7" frame should weigh 5-6 lbs with airshock. Coil obviously more weight if you into that. These companies can't give you the perfect frame because then you wouldn't ever buy a new bike. They release half ass bikes to real in unsuspecting noobs that don't read specs or calculate anything. You really have to do your own research to find out the best frame for you. Don't listen to salesmen anywhere and take manufactures specs with a grain of salt.

Look at that nice little ass frame stuck between those huge circus wheels. Looks like a ford fiesta with bigfoot wheels. You want to speculate if aron chase could jump a 10' drop with this bike? If so I def going to buy one or two.

My question, is why did they take the pedals off this bike for the freestanding pics? I have seen this done many times before, but I see no benefit or particular reason for it and don't understand why.

The bike comes stock without pedals so we usually (not always) shoot them without pedals. The Yeti was also fitted with a dropper post and shorter stem, both of which were replaced for the photos. Basically, the bike should be stock in the photos.

I'm a 29er fanboy, but I would never own a Yeti. They laughed at wagon wheels, called them clown bikes - their hard tail is the "Big Top" and then, guess what? They build a 29er. Hypocrites. This bike is way too much money for what you get. My Carbon Superfly made in USA with a Talas 120 is six pounds lighter and will kick this ugly thing's ass up and down the mountain. Only the Yeti brainwashed cult would consider this miscarriage. If you want a 29er, look to the pioneers - Gary Fisher and Niner. But I'm not hatin' or anything.

I wasn't a huge fan of the Superfly (I'm guessing you are talking about the full susser one, not the hard tail), I felt like it had a lot of lateral flex in the linkage when you were in the rough. I did really like the alloy, bit bigger version though (the Rumblefish). I rode it at mountain bike oregon and on some of the local trails and really liked it. I haven't ever gotten a chance at a Niner yet... but that RIP 9 looks mighty fine..

I spend quite a bit of time on a SuperFly it's my personal bike and have to say that while the Trek is lighter and likely faster up a timed climb (it is a XC race bike after all), the SB95 is a more capable machine in rough situations. They are completely different bikes in completely different categories.

Mine has a steer lag. You want turn and it still rides a meter ahead or so until it engages. I assume it is due to innertia and short headtube. Producera of 29ers urge to lower the cockpit by using shorter head tubes, but that compromises stiffness due to shorter bearing spacing, especialy considering longer arm of the force. What should be done is a rather ugly looking solution: aMinimum 12-13cm long HT and a stwm with really negative rise, -16 or even -25deg like Hope.

You can"t be serious? That's why tapered head tubes exist so your stiffness comment is not relevant. And you'd have to have too long of a stem for that much drop causing it lag even more. Think about it.

Oh im never really serious but you certainly are. I might think about it but dont hold your arse higher than necessary when over the loo... According to your theory it would be analogical to say that a mast needs just a big base, the depth of the foundation is irrelevant. How seriously were you following lessons on mechanics?

let me troll a bit more on your seriousness on geometry: I wrote about -25deg stem, then a 50mm stem with such angle would give more or less -25mm of height? 70mm stem at 16deg would give the same more or less? When you want to compensate for a 63mm increased cockpit height, 70mm -25 stem should work well. Oh those technologies like taper headtube, the belief can bend the ever serious laws of physics and mathematics indeed!

So I give you something simplier on stiffness, mast and foundations, oh who can store that in the head... imagine the evil Ninja named Xinu who wants to destroy the stone holding the egg of the 5th dragon of 7th era. He must hit it with the end of the sword, but the spread of his hands along the length of swords handle is equally important - where he put his hands will determine the fate of World of Cockcraft!

You mean the full XTR, high-end FOX suspension, DT hubs, Thomson post and stem, and carbon Easton bar? Barring a set of carbon-rimmed wheels, the spec is about as pimp as you can get, minus some points for the missing dropper post.

Yeah...but for less money you can get a Specialized Stumpjumper Expert Evo...carbon frame with full XO, a far superior wheelset and a proper 140mm Fox 34 fork.
AND...the best dropper post on the market.

I agree on the dropper post and wheels but both have the 140 Fox 34, and XTR > XO imo, I perfer Yeti over Spec personally, but I understand your position, but the MSRP on the Spesh is $6400 not really cheaper ok 100 bucks and you do get carbon, not sure carbon is better, but def. lighter

VW is Audi...and Porsche...and Bentley...and Bugatti...and Lamborghini. So there goes that analogy.
I believe the article says that the Yeti comes spec'd with a 120mm travel Fox 34 fork. Carbon isn't always lighter...but it is better. Ride the aluminum and carbon versions of a bike back to back and you will never go back.

Yes, it did say fox 34 120 CTD ( kinda of stange I demo d' one with the 140 Fox 34 ?? ), I have rode a few carbon bikes like the Ibis mojo HD, I perfer the Yeti ( alum. ) over the HD , not to say carbon can't be done very nicely, I just don't think it's the holy grail. Carbon production is NOT enviromentally freindly and can't be recycled like alum. and other metals, if that is important to you.

Cool good to know, Carbon is still very new to me, besides a couple of carbon bars and Cannondale Raven ( the original carbon frame mtn bike ) I had 10 years ago. I still waiting to buy one until I just can't wait anymore;-)

@bkbroiler, I was replying to @lardhelliwell. I loved my SB66 but just had too many issues with it. When Yeti replaced it under warranty I sold it and picked up a Nomad (great warranty, now 5 years and lifetime on the bearings).

It would defeat the purpose of an XC race bike, but this is not an XC race bike. Generally with Enduro riding you should carry a greater amount of water anyway (2-3litres) as you're likely to be on the bike all day.I'd suggest that if your backpack's too heavy already, you might want to examine your priorities and re-assess what you're carrying.